February 2025
Rev. Dr. Paul Charles Bruns passed away Tuesday February 18, 2025.
He was born in Rockford, Illinois on October 11, 1938, the son of Ernest Fredrick and Evelyn Marie (Kelley)
Bruns. He was baptized into the Christian faith at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Rockford, on November 27, 1938. Paul married Ruby Lydia Rakow July 21,1962 at St. John Lutheran Church in Suring, Wisconsin.
Paul committed his life to spreading the Word of God, most notably through his 32 years of missionary work in Nigeria. His education in preparing for a life of service began at Concordia High School and Junior College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, followed by Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He then continued his theological studies at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, where he earned his Master of Divinity in 1964. Answering the call to mission work, he and his wife, Ruby, embarked on a lifelong commitment to evangelism, language development, and Bible translation among the Bokyi people of Nigeria.
As a missionary with the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Paul was instrumental in planting Lutheran churches, developing literacy programs, and overseeing the translation of the New Testament into the Bokyi language which was published in 1978. He continued translation, and the full Bokyi Bible was published and dedicated in 1985. Paul was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity degree in 1991 from Concordia Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in recognition of his work on the Bokyi Bible. His linguistic expertise and unwavering faith enabled him to train local church leaders, ensuring that the Gospel message would continue to flourish long after his departure.
After completing the Bible translation in Bokyi, he continued his missionary work by serving as a professor and Academic Dean at the Lutheran Seminary in Obot Idim, Nigeria, starting in 1987, where he mentored and equipped hundreds of pastors and evangelists to serve in churches throughout West Africa. Even after returning to the United States in 1997, he continued to share his knowledge through his writing of biblical commentaries aimed at helping church leaders in cross-cultural mission settings.
Paul is survived by his beloved wife, Ruby; children, Pamela (David) Stephanson, Jeffrey (Kris) Bruns, and Paula (Kevin) Landdeck; grandchildren, Lisa, Bri, Nathan, Michael, Philip (Siobhan), Ronald (Pamela) Stephanson, and Lydia and Laura Bruns; and one great-granddaughter Ruby Stephanson. He was predeceased by his parents; infant daughter, Lisa Ann; and sister, Jean Ann Bruns.
The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, February 24, 2025 at Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, 827 16th Street Rockford, Illinois 61104. Visitation will be held prior to the service at Redeemer from 9:00 a.m.-10:45 a.m. There will be a meal in the fellowship hall after the service. Rev. Kevin Olson is officiating. Burial will be held at 2:30 p.m. in Willwood Burial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Redeemer Lutheran Church, Concordia Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis, or to Lutheran Bible Translators.
Clergy are invited to process. Please wear red stoles.